What exactly are the results of firing brass (specifically 9mm) with loose primer pockets? Also how exactly do you tell when seating a primer if the pocket is too loose? I'm assuming that by turning the suspected loose pocket primed brass upside down the primer will not just fall out right? Thanks for taking the time to read this and reply to those who do! As always I learn a lot from the team here.
Loose Primer Pockets
- Thread starter TroyUT
- Start date
- Status
Grumulkin
Member
The main result would be an even looser pocket next time you used that brass.
The way you tell, is that it takes almost no effort to seat the primer.
If the primer fall out when you turn the cartridge over, you either had a blown primer to begin with or you missed the loose part the last time that brass was loaded.
If I find a piece of brass where seating the primer is too easy, I mark that primer with a Sharpie and the brass gets discarded after the next firing.
The way you tell, is that it takes almost no effort to seat the primer.
If the primer fall out when you turn the cartridge over, you either had a blown primer to begin with or you missed the loose part the last time that brass was loaded.
If I find a piece of brass where seating the primer is too easy, I mark that primer with a Sharpie and the brass gets discarded after the next firing.
jwrowland77
Member
When a primer pocket is too loose, you will have very little resistance when seating the primer. It's as if it almost just slips into the pocket.
I hand prime all my brass, and when I do, I always have a sharpie sitting next to me. When I feel a primer pocket, where it took little to no resistance to seat the primer, I put a big X on the bottom across the headstamp and primer. That way when I shoot it and pick it up, it goes directly into the recycle bucket.
If the primer just falls out after seating the primer, that brass will go directly into the recycle bin. 9mm is too cheap and readily available, to worry about a loose primer pocket.
Once you've done enough by hand, you can tell the difference in seating pressure right away.
I hand prime all my brass, and when I do, I always have a sharpie sitting next to me. When I feel a primer pocket, where it took little to no resistance to seat the primer, I put a big X on the bottom across the headstamp and primer. That way when I shoot it and pick it up, it goes directly into the recycle bucket.
If the primer just falls out after seating the primer, that brass will go directly into the recycle bin. 9mm is too cheap and readily available, to worry about a loose primer pocket.
Once you've done enough by hand, you can tell the difference in seating pressure right away.
tightgroup tiger
Member
Like Grumulkin said, you will feel the difference when you prime your cases. They will go in the case effortlessly and with very little to no resistance.
I, too, mark mine and when I load next time around, I pinch them shut with channel locks so I won't be tempted to use them again or won't get them mixed up with good cases by accident.
I haven't had any problems from firing one of these marked rounds but I don't let mine get to the point that the primer could just " fall out ".
All primers back out on firing, then get slammed back in from recoil so you won't be able just look at the empty case and see anything.
Very important to mark them while loading.
I, too, mark mine and when I load next time around, I pinch them shut with channel locks so I won't be tempted to use them again or won't get them mixed up with good cases by accident.
I haven't had any problems from firing one of these marked rounds but I don't let mine get to the point that the primer could just " fall out ".
All primers back out on firing, then get slammed back in from recoil so you won't be able just look at the empty case and see anything.
Very important to mark them while loading.
witchhunter
Member
What these guys said! Plus, gas escapes back at you around a bad primer...
LiveLife
Member
I am a curious type and have intentionally tested various reloading related things like 50+ reloadings on same 9mm/40S&W cases, A-MERC vs other headstamp cases, shooting 10/15/20 year old reloads and firing loose primer pocket 9mm cases.TroyUT said:
Like many, I mark and toss/recycle loose primer cases when I feel no resistance as primers are seated. Out of curiosity, I took a small batch of loose primer pocket 9mm cases and reloaded them 5 times with Winchester SP primers and W231/HP-38.
Result? They all went bang and did not notice anything on the breech wall face (I thought high pressure gas may leak due to loose primer pockets but I guess primer cup expanded to seal with the loose primer pockets).
- Would I still endorse using loose primer pocket cases? No
- Would it be the end of the world if some loose primer pocket cases got mixed in with other tight primer pocket cases? No
- Would I use loose primer pocket cases for match shooting? No
- Would I use loose primer pocket cases for range practice rounds? Sure, but I will mark them and toss/recycle on the next round of brass sorting.
You could consider using Wolf/Tula/Fiocchi SP primers with slightly larger cups to extend the life of loose primer pocket cases.
Resistance ... Resistance ... Nothing (even when bench priming) ... Resistance ... Resistance ...
Primers in loose primer pockets won't always fall out. If they do, the primer pockets were damaged/enlarged way beyond specs and I would toss/recycle the case right there.
Avoid primers that are small in diameter.
The WLR large rifle primers that came UNPLATED are smaller in diameter.
The WLR's I have measure about 0.2099" and fit loose or worse.
The CCI Br's and Fed 210's I have measure about 0.2106". They fit normal and just right like primers always did.
The WLR large rifle primers that came UNPLATED are smaller in diameter.
The WLR's I have measure about 0.2099" and fit loose or worse.
The CCI Br's and Fed 210's I have measure about 0.2106". They fit normal and just right like primers always did.
gonoles_1980
Member
Wish I had read this thread before. I've had some primers go in real easy. I guess I will be marking them the next time so I don't reuse them. I assume by easy, it means it takes really no "umph" to push it in.
gahunter12
Member
I usually try to avoid loose pockets by tossing the loose ones during resize/decap. I use Dillon dies which have a spring loaded decapping pin. When you bring the ram up the spring loaded pin will raise, then drop pushing the primer out. On a good case the "E" clip on top will make a noise as it hits the die. If the primer isn't tight enough to depress the spring, it gets tossed.
Thanks BDS as that is exactly the answer I was hoping to find (someone who actually knows what would happen if you fire a round with a loose primer pocket). I will probably incorporate some type of process where I mark the loose ones with a sharpie but I was just curious as to what was going to happen when I fired the ones I already loaded with looser primer pockets than normal.
gamestalker
member
Generally, when I seat the primer I measure it if it feels rather loose, and if it doesn't change depth when I tap the case head on the bench, I load it. I've never really had a primer leak, I've blown a few in high powered rifle, but none have actually ever leaked.
GS
GS
Potatohead
Member
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2013
- Messages
- 5,375
Ive been wondering about this to. Thanks for the post BDS.I am a curious type and have intentionally tested various reloading related things like 50+ reloadings on same 9mm/40S&W cases, A-MERC vs other headstamp cases, shooting 10/15/20 year old reloads and firing loose primer pocket 9mm cases.
Like many, I mark and toss/recycle loose primer cases when I feel no resistance as primers are seated. Out of curiosity, I took a small batch of loose primer pocket 9mm cases and reloaded them 5 times with Winchester SP primers and W231/HP-38.
Result? They all went bang and did not notice anything on the breech wall face (I thought high pressure gas may leak due to loose primer pockets but I guess primer cup expanded to seal with the loose primer pockets).
- Would I still endorse using loose primer pocket cases? No
- Would it be the end of the world if some loose primer pocket cases got mixed in with other tight primer pocket cases? No
- Would I use loose primer pocket cases for match shooting? No
- Would I use loose primer pocket cases for range practice rounds? Sure, but I will mark them and toss/recycle on the next round of brass sorting.
You could consider using Wolf/Tula/Fiocchi SP primers with slightly larger cups to extend the life of loose primer pocket cases.
Resistance ... Resistance ... Nothing (even when bench priming) ... Resistance ... Resistance ...
Primers in loose primer pockets won't always fall out. If they do, the primer pockets were damaged/enlarged way beyond specs and I would toss/recycle the case right there.
deadeye dick
Member
I have a Lee turret press and when I decap I hear a distinctive PING as the pin pushes out the primer. Than I know it is a tight fit. If it doesn't ping I pay special attention to it.
Legionnaire
Contributing Member
I probably wouldn't bother with handgun brass, but RCBS's primer pocket swager, which I use to de-crimp rifle brass, will also tighten the pocket again. Don't remember where I learned that (probably here) but it works.
- Status
